REQUIREMENTS OF EXN 45

At present, candidates on successful completion of their shore-based training are required to hold
EXN-45 document before they are eligible to commence their on-board training for certification as
officer-in-charge of an engineer watch. As per Section M III/ 9, para 9.1 of the Maritime Education,
Training and Assessment (META) Manual, a candidate is permitted to join ship only after passing
Part 'A' of MEO Class IV examination. This EXN-45 document is issued to candidates who are either
exempted from appearing in Marine Engineer Officer (MEO) Class-IV, Part- A examination or have
successfully passed the afore mentioned examination.
2. It is observed that most of the candidates, who have completed their shore-based training and are
in the process of commencing their on-board training for acquiring the MEO Class IV Certificate of
Competency are exempted from appearing in the MEO Class-IV, Part- A examination.
3. The issuance of EXN-45's are often delayed due to simultaneous receipt of numerous applications
in the Mercantile Marine Departments (MMD), which in turn affects early commencement of their onboard training for acquiring the MEO Class IV Certificate of Competency
4. In this context, candidates who have successfully completed their course/training from the
following streams, are exempted from appearing in MEO Class-IV, Part- A examination:
.1 A four-year training course conducted by The Marine Engineering & Research Institute (MERI),
Government of India or its equivalent approved by the Chief Examiner of Engineers;
.2 One-year Graduate Marine Engineer (GME) training in a reputed Shipyard or Maritime institute
approved by the Directorate, after obtaining B.E/B.Tech/B.S degree in Mechanical Engineering or
Naval Architecture.
5. Therefore, in order to facilitate candidates of the above category to commence their on-board
training, soon after completion of their shore-based training, holding of EXN-45 document will not be
mandatory, with immediate effect. However, certificates issued by their respective institutes indicating
that they have successfully completed their shore based pre-sea training, will be a mandatory
requirement at the time of commencement of the sea going service.
6. After completion of the approved sea going service for a period of not less than six months,
candidates are required to apply for their assessment of eligibility to the Examiner of Engineers, as
per the existing guidelines.
7. As required under Section M-III/1 and sub-clause of clause 13 of section M-III/9 of Chapter III of
Maritime Education, Training and Assessment (META) Manual Volume I, the candidates eligible for
MEO Class IV, Part A exemption shall have the EXN-45 endorsed and thereafter the candidate will
be allowed to sit for MEO Class IV, Part- B examination in all functions of both written and oral

examination. All other procedure for ex-post facto approval for MEO Class IV, Part A certificate will
remain as stated in the Circular No. 106 dated 14th June, 2007.
8. In addition, as per the procedure laid out in M.S. Notice 06 of 2005, dated: 19th July, 2005 the
candidates will have the option of appearing in the following papers of MEO Class-IV, Part-B, before
they commence their on board training at Sea.
.1 Marine Electro Technology; and
.2 Ship Construction & Stability.
However, desirous candidates are required to apply for MEO Class IV, Part- A exemption while
applying for the above mentioned examinations.
9. Candidates who are not exempted from appearing in MEO Class-IV, Part-A examination will be
required to appear and pass the referred examination in entirety before EXN-45 document is issued
to them, as per the existing procedure.
10. This issues in accordance with Rule 46 of MS (Standards of Training, Certification & Watchkeeping for Seafarers) Rules 1998.